NASA and the Future of Space Exploration

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America's space program began in the 1960's, with the vision expressed by President John F. Kennedy. That commitment led to the glory days of human space fight at the height of the Cold War. Now, the tragedy of space-shuttle Columbia has produced calls for Congress and the President to re-evaluate the space program. Astronauts are heroes who can make dreams come true, and NASA has promised to clean up its act, but if robots can do the job better, why not save money and avoid risking human lives? We explore both sides with a skeptical physicist, a public policy expert, a journalist who covers space, and the former manager of NASA-s Mars Exploration Program. Making News, Segment #1: Iraq Arms Tips There-s a new explanation today for the failure to turn up chemical and biological weapons in Iraq. American intelligence agencies may have been duped. This, as British Prime Minister Tony Blair stands by his pre-war intelligence reports. Bob Drogin, who reported the story for the Los Angeles Times, says new investigations are exploring the possibility of bogus Iraqi defectors and double-agents as sources of the false data. Making News, Segment #2: Blair Testifies on Iraq, Kelley Suicide and 'Dodgy Dossier' Tony Blair today became only the second Prime Minister in British history to testify at a public investigation. Chaired by Lord Hutton, the inquiry is looking into the suicide of weapons expert David Kelly after he-d been named as the source of a BBC story saying Blair-s government exaggerated its pre-war dossier on Iraq-s weapons of mass destruction. Glen Frankel is there for the Washington Post.
America's space program began in the 1960's, with the vision expressed by President John F. Kennedy. That commitment led to the glory days of human space fight at the height of the Cold War. Now, the tragedy of space-shuttle Columbia has produced calls for Congress and the President to re-evaluate the space program. Astronauts are heroes who can make dreams come true, and NASA has promised to clean up its act, but if robots can do the job better, why not save money and avoid risking human lives? We explore both sides with a skeptical physicist, a public policy expert, a journalist who covers space, and the former manager of NASA-s Mars Exploration Program.
  • Making News, Segment #1: Iraq Arms Tips
    There-s a new explanation today for the failure to turn up chemical and biological weapons in Iraq. American intelligence agencies may have been duped. This, as British Prime Minister Tony Blair stands by his pre-war intelligence reports. Bob Drogin, who reported the story for the Los Angeles Times, says new investigations are exploring the possibility of bogus Iraqi defectors and double-agents as sources of the false data.
  • Making News, Segment #2: Blair Testifies on Iraq, Kelley Suicide and 'Dodgy Dossier'
    Tony Blair today became only the second Prime Minister in British history to testify at a public investigation. Chaired by Lord Hutton, the inquiry is looking into the suicide of weapons expert David Kelly after he-d been named as the source of a BBC story saying Blair-s government exaggerated its pre-war dossier on Iraq-s weapons of mass destruction. Glen Frankel is there for the Washington Post.

Drogin's article on US intelligence concerns over false tips

Frankel's article on Blair defense of Iraqi arms threat

Gehman Report (Columbia Accident Investigation Board)

Goddard Space Flight Center

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney